March 8, 2021
• The CRB and CRCB (caregiver benefit) maximum eligibility period is extended by 12 weeks to 38 weeks in total.
• The CRSB (sickness benefit) maximum eligibility period is extended by 2 weeks to 4 weeks in total.
• The EI maximum eligibility period for temporary benefits is extended by 24 weeks to 50 weeks in total.
January 21, 2021
Recovery Benefits - International Travel
The government indicated that they are changing the eligibility rules so that international travelers who are required to quarantine upon their return to Canada will not be eligible to receive the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit or the Canada Recovery Benefit during the period of their quarantine. The intended rule is to come into effect retroactively on January 3, 2021.
November 23, 2020
Even though the CERB has ended, the CRA is continuing to accept and process retroactive applications until December 2, 2020.
Periods 5 to 7: You can apply through the CRA’s My Account or automated toll-free phone line at 1-800-959-2019 or 1-800-959-2041.
Periods 1 to 4: You can apply by calling CRA at 1-800-232-1966.
October 27, 2020
The CRA has issued FAQs on:
1. Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application/transition/questions.html
2. Transition to Employment Insurance
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application/transition/ei-questions.html
Employment benefits
1) Commuting
If an employee is working from home because the regular place of employment is closed, the CRA would not consider the employee to have received a taxable benefit where the employer pays for, reimburses or provides a reasonable allowance for commuting costs incurred to allow the employee to travel to their regular place of employment, to, for example, pick up computer equipment or perhaps other office equipment so that they can work from home.
2) Home Office Equipment
CRA will not consider an employee to have received a taxable benefit where the employer pays or reimburses up to $500 of computer or home office equipment to enable the employee to carry out their duties. Amounts in excess of $500 must be included as a taxable benefit.
Disability one-time payment
Deadline to apply for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC): December 31, 2020 extended
October 13, 2020
Three new benefits, delivered by the Canada Revenue Agency:
1. the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
2. the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), and
3. the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
• The application process for the CRB opened on October 12, 2020 and applications for the CRSB and the CRCB opened on October 5, 2020.
• The CRB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks, to workers who have stopped working or had their employment/self-employment income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19 and who are not eligible for EI.
September 11, 2020
CERB:
Most individuals who received CERB through Service Canada, will automatically transition to EI once they have received their full CERB entitlements.
Individuals who received CERB through CRA will be required to apply for EI through the usual EI online application process.
All EI recipients must submit bi-weekly reports showing their continued eligibility, including their availability to work.
EI benefits are taxable, as normal, and taxes will be withheld from the payments.
New Employment Insurance Rules
Commencing September 27, 2020, the EI rules will be revised as follows:
- Reduce required insurable hours to 120 hours in the 52 weeks prior to EI application.
- Special rules will also facilitate EI eligibility for individuals transitioning from CERB to EI special benefits (maternity, parental, compassionate care, family caregiver and sickness).
- Increase minimum weekly benefits to $400.
- Increase minimum weeks eligible for EI to 26 weeks (that is, about six months). Under the normal rules, EI is available for 14 to 45 weeks.
- The usual rules for working while on claim will apply, meaning that the worker can earn income while receiving benefits, with their EI benefits reduced by 50 cents for every dollar of other earnings, up to 90% of their prior earnings.
In addition to the above, three new benefits commencing September 27,2020 as follows:
1. The Canada Recovery Benefit $400 per week for up to 26 weeks will be available to self-employed individuals and other workers who are not eligible for EI but still require support due to an inability to return to work.
2. The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit $500 per week for up to two weeks will be paid to workers who are ill or must self-isolate for reasons related to COVID-19.
3. The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household will be paid to workers who are unable to work because they must care for a child under the age of 12, dependant or family member because schools, daycares or care facilities are closed due to COVID-19
August 4, 2020
Disability Support
You do not have to apply to receive this payment. The CRA expects to issue the payments beginning this fall.
Non-filer benefit repayments
Filing of 2019 personal tax return prior to September is recommended.
Non-filers will have their estimated payments stop in October and may have to repay what was received in July, August, and September 2020.
CERB:
CERB is set to end September 26, 2020
July 30, 2020
Payment and Interest
Payment due date for current year individual tax returns (including instalments): extended to September 30, 2020.
No further filing deadline extensions
CRA will be waiving interest on existing tax debts related to:
• individual income tax returns from April 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020
• and from April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2020, for HST returns
June 15, 2020
Disability Support is:
• one-time, tax-free, non-reportable payment of $600;
• Eligible persons include any who have
o a Disability Tax Credit certificate provided by the Canada Revenue Agency;
o Canada Pension Plan disability benefit or Quebec Pension Plan disability benefit; and
o disability supports provided by Veterans Affairs Canada;
• if you are eligible for the Disability Tax Credit but have not yet applied, you must apply by September 25, 2020.
• Seniors who are eligible for the one-time payment to persons with disabilities would receive a total of $600 in special payments.
June 1, 2020
Canada Emergency Response Benefit:
Maximum number of periods that can be claimed is 6 four-week periods i.e. 24 weeks
Return or repay CERB if you no longer meet the eligibility via:
• CRA My Account
• Online Banking:
o Sign in to your financial institution's online banking service
o Under "Add a payee" look for an option such as: CRA (revenue) – tax instalment
o Enter your 9 digit social insurance number (SIN) as the CRA account number
• By mail:
o Mail a cheque or money order to the CRA:
o Make the payment out to "Receiver General for Canada"
o Indicate it is for "Repayment of CERB"
o Indicate which eligibility period you are repaying
o Include your Social Insurance Number (SIN) or your Temporary Tax Number (TTN)
o Mail your payment:
Revenue Processing – Repayment of CERB
Sudbury Tax Centre
1050 Notre Dame Avenue
Sudbury ON P3A 0C3
April 27, 2020
Pandemic Pay
For front-line workers as part of a temporary pandemic payment to recognize their efforts in the fight against COVID-19 the government is providing:
- Additional $4/hour worked on top of their regular wages
- monthly lump sum payments of $250 for four months to eligible front line workers who work over 100 hours per month pay will be effective for 16 weeks, from April 24, 2020 until August 13, 2020
List of eligible workplaces and workers can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html
Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)
- would provide support to students and new graduates who are:
- not be eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance, or
- unable to work due to COVID-19.
- benefit would provide $1,250 per month for eligible students or $1,750 per month for eligible students with dependents or disabilities
- benefit would be available from May to August 2020.
More details here: https://www.jarvisryan.com/admin/communications/21
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html
April 15, 2020
n/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html
April 15, 2020
Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB):
Changes to the eligibility rules to:
- Allow people to earn up to $1,000 per month while collecting the CERB
- Extend the CERB to seasonal workers who have exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to undertake their regular seasonal work because of COVID-19
- Extend the CERB to workers who have recently exhausted their EI regular benefits and are unable to find a job because of COVID-19
Note: you must still meet the criteria: you stopped or will stop working due to COVID-19, and:
- You are applying for the first time
For at least 14 days in a row during the 4-week payment period, you do not expect to receive more than $1,000 (before taxes) from employment and self-employment income
- You are re-applying for another period
You do not expect your situation to change during this 4-week period and you do not expect to receive more than $1,000 (before taxes) from employment and self-employment income
A new temporary salary top-up for low-income essential workers:
The Federal government will work with provinces and territories through a new transfer to cost-share a temporary top up to the salaries of low-income workers (those who earn less than $2,500 per month on a full-time basis), that the provinces and territories have deemed essential in the fight against COVID-19.
More details will be released shortly.
April 9, 2020
Canada Emergency Response Benefit
To apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit via CRA My Account you do not need a security code.
You do not have to live in Canada to qualify but you have to be a tax resident of Canada
Ontario Child Support
Helping families pay for the extra costs associated with school and daycare closures during the COVID-19 outbreak by providing a one-time payment of $200 per child up to 12 years of age, and $250 for those with special needs, including children enrolled in private schools.
If previously registered for the strike days, this will automatically be paid otherwise have to apply.
Apply here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-support-families
April 2, 2020
Other Support Available:
Mortgage: A six- month mortgage deferral program implemented on a case-by-case basis for your primary residence. Contact your bank.
Rent: Discuss alternate arrangements with your landlord, if required. No deferral is mandated however no eviction orders will be issued until further notice.
Property Tax: Payment deferral options vary by municipality, contact your municipality for more information.
Filing and Payment Extension:
2019 tax return: Due June 1, 2020
Any new income tax balances due, or installments, to be deferred until September 1, 2020.
Canada Emergency Response Benefit:
To provide a taxable benefit of $2,000 a month for up to 4 months to:
- workers who must stop working due to COVID19 and do not have access to paid leave or other income support.
- workers who are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19.
- working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children that are sick or need additional care because of school and daycare closures.
- workers who still have their employment but are not being paid because there is currently not sufficient work and their employer has asked them not to come to work.
- wage earners and self-employed individuals, including contract workers, who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance.
Apply via CRA My Account - Application will be available April 6th with first payment to start 10 days after application via cheque and 3-4 days via direct deposit.
Canada Child Benefit
An extra $300 per child for 2019-2020 - this benefit will be delivered as part of the scheduled payment in May 2020.
Special Goods and Services Tax credit payment
One-time special payment by early May for low- and modest-income families. Up to $400 for single individuals to $600 for couples.
There is no need to apply for this payment. If you are eligible, you will get it automatically.
